a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fiber bed elements and methods for making the same.
b. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to make a fiber bed element by packing randomly distributed glass fibers between two concentric screens, the elements being used to remove aerosols from a gas stream. The disadvantages of this process are that too much time and labor is required to form the element and substantial care must be taken to insure that the fibers are evenly distributed around the periphery of the fiber bed. An uneven distribution of the fibers results in a lack of a uniform fiber density in the fiber bed. If fiber density is not uniform, more fiber must be used in order to insure that all parts of the element are sufficiently thick to avoid channeling and the resulting lowered efficiency. Thicker elements require greater amounts of energy to force the gas through the element.
It is also known to make a fiber bed by winding mats made from glass fibers around a tubular screen. In order to obtain a desired fiber density in such a fiber bed, it is necessary to wrap the mat under tension to compact the mat in a radial direction. Unfortunately, the application of sufficient tension to the mat to achieve the desired fiber density tends to pull the mat apart, especially when the mat is made from staple fibers.
The process of the present invention produces a fiber bed element having a very high uniformity of fiber density throughout the element.